Tubular-armoring-cable machine



Jan. 25 1927. 1,615,502

S. w. BOURN TUBULAR ARMORING CABLE MACHINE Filed Jan. 27, 1923 attorneyI Patented Jan. 25, 1927.

UNITED STATES STEPHEN W. BOURN, 0F PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

TUBULAR-ARMORING-CABLE MACHINE.

Application filed January 27, 1923.

This invention relates to improvements in the construction of devicesfor measuring lengths of work as formed on machines and forautomatically stopping the machine when a predetermined length of suchWork has been formed thereon; and the object of this invention is toprovide an attachment for such machines as those which form their workby rotating and simultaneously advancing the same as formed, such forinstance. as machines for forming tubular armored cable, rope-makingmachines and other machines in which the work is formed by a helicalmovement, or a combined rotating and advancing movement, and means beingprovided for automatically stopping the machine when a. predeterminedlength of the work has been formed.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means which areelectrically operated for stopping the work-forming machine also theprovision of adjustable means whereby the machine may stop when anygivenlength of Work has been formed.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction, as will be more fully described, andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims,

In the accompanying drawings -r Figure 1 is a plan View illustrating oneform. of machine for producing work by a rotating and simultaneouslyadvancing action and illustrating my automatic stop device for stoppingthe machine when a predeterminedlength of work has been formed.

Figure 2 is an end View of the automatic stopping attachment,illustrating the adjustable. contact means. for completing the circuitto automatically stop the machine when any given length of work has beenformed. I

Figure 3 is an enlarged edge view illustrating a portion of theindexwheel. carrying the contact arm also showing the contact member mounted.to be positioned in the path of movement of the arm to complete theelectric circuit.

Figure 4: is a detail showing the clutch mechanism positioned to beoperated by a solenoid magnet; Figure 5 is a side elevation of thecontrolling magnet and a portion of the tension spring adapted towithdraw the clutch from position whenv the magnet is energized,

Figure 6 is a top view showing the clutch Serial No. 615,417.

members and the clutch operating arm and the relative positions of thecontrolling solenoid and the clutch withdrawing spring.

It is found in practice of advantage in the operation of such machinesas tubular armoring cable machines and other machines where the work isformed by a simultaneous rotation and advancing action, to providesimple and effective means for measuring lengths of the work as formedand to stop the machine automatically when the desired lengths have beenproduced; and the following is a detailed description of one means bywhich these results may be accomplished:

\Vith reference to the drawings, 10 designates the frame of a machine inpart of which a set of strip-feeding and grooving rolls 11 are rotatablymounted for feeding the strip 12 to a point 13 where it is continuouslywound into a tubularcond'uit or covering 14. The tube thus formed istaken up or wound upon a reel 15, which is mounted to rotate upon itsaxis in the frame 16, being driven through gears 17, and belt 18, andthis frame 16 is caused to revolve by means presently described, torotate the reel end over end to accommodate the twist or rotation of thetube as formed.

At the'right of this machine is mounted a rotatable frame 19, on whichis mounted a core supply reel 20, the same being adapted to rotate on ashaft 21,'and to carry a wire 22' that is fed therefrom through guides23 into the tube 14, which is being wound about this wire core.

The strip feeding and shaping rolls 11 p and the revolving frames 16 and19 are driven in unison from the main driving pulley 24 through mainshaft 25, clutch 26', gears 27, 2'8 and 29, the two frames 16 and 19being driven in unisonthrough jack shaft 30 and gears 31.

The tubular armor 14? which is formed. as a cove-ring for the core 22'is constructed by a combined rotating and forwardly advancing movementof the cable, that is, it is wound. helically, each turn of the strip 12overlapping the edge of the next preceding turn, the. edges beinginterlocked to connect the turns together and to render the tubeflexible.

It is found in practice very desirable in the manufacture of this,tubular armor to form the same into different lengths and to measurethese lengths-and stop the machine each time adesired length is formed,and owing to the tact that the tubing advances a predetermined amount ateach revolution, which advancement is controlled by the pitch or lead ofthe former, I am enabled to effect the action of my counting ormeasuring device by the rotations of the frame on which the work iscarried which is geared to rotate in unison with the work as formed. Tooperate my measuring device, .I have mounted a worm on a hollow shaft 33at the end of this winding lie 16 and the motion from this worm istransmitted to a toothed index carrying wheel 3a through a worm wheel35, sleeve 36, worm 37, worm wheel 38 and small gear 39 all beingmounted in the frame etO secured to the end bearing post 41.

This index wheel is provided with a multiplicity of spaced apart holesarranged around its periphery the distance between these holesrepresenting a definite teed or advancement of the finished work, thatis diilerent plates having differently spaced holes may be attached tothe index wheel, the ditlerent spaces corresponding to different leadsof the :torincrs, the spaces on the plate shown representing a length oflive feet of cable formed, or if desired, instead of changing theseindex plates the drive gears may be changed to drive the index atdifferent speeds to compensate for the difterent leads.

In order to control the operation of the clutch 2G to stop the machine,I have pro- Vided a clutch lever l6 which is pivoted at 44 and is causedto hold the clutch in operating position by the positioning of the core45 ot a solenoid 46 to prevent the clutch from being withdrawn by thetension of spring .7, whereby when this solenoid is energized the coreis withdrawn from engagement with the yoke lever permitting the springa? to act and withdraw the clutch tronroperating position thus stoppingthe iachine.

This solenoid is mounted in an electric circuit in which one wire 48 isgrounded on the machine while the other wire 4-9 is connected through abattery or source oi energy 50 to extend around to be connected to atwo-arm contact member 51 which is pivotally mounted at 52 in the framebut is insulated therefrom as shown at in Figure 3.

One of the arms 5% of this contact member is insulated on its face as at55, while the other arm 56 serves as aconductor. In order to provideadjustable means whereby this circuit may be completed after anypredetermined length of work has been formed, I have mounted a contactarm 57 on the pivot pin 58 in the -frame, which is in the electriccircuit. This arm is more or less resilient and at its outer end I haveprovideda pointer 60 adapted to enter any one of the holes 12 in theindex plate, and I have provided an operating handle 59 for this pointerwhereby it may be engaged by the thumb and finger of the operator andthe arm turn-ed to any desired position about the index plate to measureoii the desired length of work to be formed before the machine will bestopped, for instance one complete rotation of the disk represents 25-0feet but in case 275 feet are desired the insulated arm 5 lwould beplaced in the position shown in Figure 2, the pointer arm 5'? would beplaced at the hole 25 then as the disk rotates in the direction of thearrow this pointer would first come in contact with the insulated. faceof the arm 54 without completing the circuit to energize the magnet, andas the disk rotates this arm 54-. would be moved down into the dottedposition illustrated, bringing arm 56 into the position now occupied byarm 54- so that upon the next revolution ot' the disk the Contact 5?would engage the conductor arm 56 oi the contact, completing the circuitto energize the magnet and stop the machine. In this way it will be seenthat any portion of a single revolution of the index wheel may be causedto energize the magnet to stop the machine, or the index may be causedto make a complete revolution or any portion thereot before the circuitis completed to stop the machine, by the simple positioning of thetwo-arm contact 51 and the contact arm 57.

My improved measuring device is extremely simple and practical inconstruction and eii'ective in its operation and by its use any desiredlength of Work which is formed by a combined rotating and advancingmovement may be accurately measured and the machine automaticallystopped when the desired length is produced.

The foregoing description is directed solely towards the constructionillustrated, but I desire it to be understood that I reserve theprivilege of resorting to all the mechanical changes to which the deviceis susceptible, the invention being defined and limited only by theterms of the appended claims.

I claim:

i I ll 1. In a counting device, a shatt adapted d to be rotated by apart of a machine operated in time with the Work, an index Wheeloperated from said shaft, an electric circuit, a circuit control contactcarried by said wheel and adjustable relatively thereto about the axisof the wheel, a contact member having an insulated portion and a currenttransmitting portion, a motor, said control contact being adapted tofirst engage the insulated portion of said member to move itstransmitting portion and subsequently engage said transmitting portionto operate said motor to stop the machine.

2. In a counting device, a shaft adapted to be rotated by a part of amachine operated in time with the Work, an index Wheel operated by saidshaft, an electric circuit, a circuit control arm carried by said Wheeland pivoted on the axis of said Wheel for adjustment about said wheel, amember having a plurality of arms disposed at an angle to each other andpivoted adjacent said Wheel to be independently and successively engagedby said control contact, one of said arms having a face of conductingmaterial and the remainder having insulated faces, said control contactengaging one of said arms each revolution and positioning the nextsucceeding arm, said control contact upon engaging said face ofconducting material completing said circuit to operate the motor to stopthe machine.

3. A measuring device for cable armoring machines, comprising arotatable graduated disc operably related to the machine, a radial armadapted to rotate with the disc, an electric circuit and a pivotedcontact member for closing the circuit lying in the path of rotation ofthe arm, said contact member be ing adapted to be moved into positionfor closing the circuit, and subsequently close the circuit, by contactWith the arm.

4. A measuring device for cable armoring machines, comprising agraduated disc operably related to the machine, a radial arm adjustablyrelated to the disc and adapted to rotate therewith, an electriccircuit, a contact member for closing the circuit and lying in the pathof rotation of the arm and an insulated member for adjusting the contactmember.

5. In a measuring device for cable armoring. machines, the combinationWith a graduated disc operably related to the machine, of a radial armadjustably related to the disc, an electric circuit, a pivoted contactmember for closing the circuit, a portion of the contact member beinginsulated and lying in the path of rotation of the arm.

6. In a measuring device for cable armoring machines, the combinationwith a graduated disc operably related to the machine, of a radial armadjustably secured to the disc, an electric circuit, a pivoted prongedcontact member for closing the circuit and lying in the path of rotationof the arm, one of the prongs being insulated.

7. A measuring device for cable armoring machines, comprising agraduated disc operably related to the machine, a radial arm, means foradj ustably securing the arm to the disc, an electric circuit, a contactmember for closing the circuit and lying in the path of rotation of thearm, a portion of the contact member being insulated.

8. A measuring device for cable armoring machine, comprising a graduateddisc operably related to the machine, a radial arm, means for adjustablysecuring the arm to the disc, an electric circuit, a movable contactmember for closing the circuit and means lying in the path of the armand adapted to be moved into position for closing the circuit, andsubsequently close the circuit, by contact with the arm.

9. A measuring device for a linear material dispensing machine,comprising a rotatable disc operably related to the machine, a radialarm, means for adjustably securing the arm to the disc, an electriccircuit, a pivoted V-shaped contact member lying in the path of movementof the arm for energizing the circuit, one of the legs of the V-shapedcontact member being insulated.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

STEPHEN W. BOURN.

